title: Equipment to manage a difficult airway during anaesthesia.
abstract: Airway complications are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in anaesthesia. Effective management of a difficult airway requires the timely availability of suitable airway equipment. The Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists has recently developed guidelines for the minimum set of equipment needed for the effective management of an unexpected difficult airway (TG4 [2010] www.anzca.edu.au/resources/professionaldocuments). TG4 [2010] is based on expert consensus, underpinned by wide consultation and an extensive review of the available evidence, which is summarised in a Background Paper (TG4 BP [2010] www.anzca.edu.au/ resources/professional-documents). TG4 [2010] will be reviewed at the end of one year and thereafter every five years or more frequently if necessary. The current paper is reproduced directly from the Background Paper (TG4 BP [2010]).
authors.affiliation: Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Baker
authors.forename: B T
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Flanagan
authors.forename: K B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Greenland
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Morris
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Owen
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Riley
authors.forename: W B
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Runciman
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Segal
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Smithies
authors.forename: A F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Merry
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000628:therapy*; D000758:Anesthesia; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000295:instrumentation*; D017214:Laryngeal Masks; D020704:Laryngoscopes; D012121:Respiration, Artificial / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*